Natick commission OK's plant management program

Thursday

Apr 3, 2014 at 10:46 PMApr 3, 2014 at 10:53 PM

By the News Staff

NATICK - The Conservation Commission Thursday supported an order of conditions that allows the state Department of Conservation and Recreation to use chemical and mechanical treatment on Natick's part of Lake Cochituate and Fiske Pond to control nuisance vegetation such as milfoil.

The order, which covers five years, has an array of conditions including public notification of chemical treatments, an opt-out provision for anyone who does not want the herbicide applied by their house and a buffer zone around wells where herbicide will not be used. Chemical treatment cannot be done in areas where plant cover is 5 percent or less.

Several groups have come together asking DCR for to improve the weed situation and the state proposed a combination of physical techniques to remove weeds such as hand pulling and spot treatment using herbicide.

Chemical use has sparked debate in the past with some people worried about any affect on wells. The order of condition includes a requirement that well and lake water be tested.

Tom Flannery of the state DCR said he is not aware of any instances where diquat, the herbicide that would be used to remove milfoil, has been discovered in wells in situations like this.